Dirigible air dock



July 19, 1932. A. s. PRANKE DIRIGIBLE AIR DOCK Filed Nov. 29, 1,930 4 Sheets-Sheet Juy 19, 1932. A. s. PRANKE DIRIGIBLE AIR DOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet v2 Filed Nov. ,29, 1930 4v w 3. lo H m P 5. B 1T s 5 f if u u m m m n ww. fm; v. m. .y N 7 H V J. Aw if f k( o m w W\ f July 19, i932.

A. s. PRANKE LSSLSSI DIRIGIBLE AIR DOCK Filed Nov. 29. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 dbliomq July 19, 1932.

A. s. PRANKE DIRIGIBLE AIR DOCK Filed Ndv. 29. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 rllllllL Patented July 19, 1932 U i r TES AUGUST S. PRANKE, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND DIRIGIBLE AIR DOCK y Application led November 29, 1930. Serial No. 499,106.

The present invention relates to improvements in landing` means for airships and has reference more particularly to a dirigible air dock.

' One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a means whereby a dirigible may be brought down and anchored to the dock in an expeditious and eflicient manner, my improved means eliminating the laborious efforts of a large number of men necessary to bring down the airship.

Still a further object is to provide a dirigible air dock of the above mentioned character wherein it will be unnecessary to release the airships lifting gas in order to lower the dirigible.

A further and important object resides in the provision of a dirigible air dock of the above mentioned character wherein a rotatable directional beam is mounted on the dock and to which beam the dirigible is adapted tol be anchored, sai-d directional beam automatically permitting the dirigible to have its aXis disposed to every point of wind direction so that the ship will not Abe damaged.

VStill a further object is to provide a dirigible air dock of the above mentioned character wherein the dock is mounted to travel along tracks leading into the hangar, means 3C being associated with the tracks and the dock to prevent displacement of the dock from the tracks and to effect the movement of the dock and the ship anchored thereon along the tracks in a positive and efficient manner.

Still a further object is to provide a dirigible air dock of the above mentioned character which is simple in` construction, inexpensive, strong and durable and further well adapted to the purposes for which it is designed. v

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following` description when taken in connec- -r tion with the accompanying drawings; y i) In the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the dirigible r, air dock embodying my invention showing the O position of a dirigible before and after landing and also shown fragmentarily,' the hangar and rails. l

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is an' enlarged detail "sectional 1 View through the dock showing the'ro'tatable 55 beam mounted thereon and disclosing the actuating means therefor, the windlass shafts.

Figure 4 is an elevational View yofa'portion of the directional beam unit showing ,the windlass structure and the cables `wound 6U therearounol. Y* l Figure 5 is a top plan view of the dock and the rotatable directional beam unit mounted thereon. y 1 'y L l Figure 6 is an enlarged `fragmentaryde- 65 tail showing the mounting lfor the dock andthe means for moving the dock along the rails.

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the dock and directional beam unit mounted thereon showing'the dock mounted on themrail, the latter being shown in section7 Avand y Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the directional beam disposed at variousY positions and pointing into vthewind. i

y ln the drawings, wherein for thepurpose of illus-tration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates generally arhangar of any conventional construction. Extending outwardly Afrom the entrance and exit end of the hangar, are the tracks 2, the same being arranged on the surface of' the ground. These tracksl may be of any desired shape incross section. An underground current conductor rail 3 is arrang-edbetweenY the tracks"y 2 and is located 35 within a suitable channel provided therefor in the ground as suggested very clearly in Figure?.

The dockor ycarriage forming a salient part of the present inventionisV denoted c generallyby the numeral 4, the carriage or dock being adapted to travel along the tracks 2 throughthe medium ofl suitablegrooved roller or wheels 5 that are journaled in su'itable brackets Gsecuredto thejunder sideo-f the base 7 tof the dockorcarriage.1 `i

For thepurpose of preventing vertical displacement of the dock or carriage 4 from the tracks 2, certain of the brackets 6 are formed with inwardly extending lugs 8 that engage inf beneath the heads of the respective tracks in the manner as clearly illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings. The manner in which the dock or carriage moves along the tracks 2 will be hereinafter more fully described in detail.

The dock or' carriage includes a top platform 9 and suitable bracing means may be interposed between the base 7 and this platorm as suggested in the drawings.

A pilot house or cabin 10 .extends upwardly from the central portion of the base of the dock or carriage 4 and a central opening is formed in the platform 9 through which the pilot house projects. lThe bottom 'of the pilot house is mounted on suitable ball bearings show-'n very clearly in Figure 3 and for the purpose of permitting the rotation of the pilot house `on the carriage or dock, I provide the ring gear 11, the same being secured within the dock 4 around the lower portion ofthe pilot house and meshing with this ring gear is la'pinio'n 12 secured on the outer vend yof a drive shaft 13 of an electric motor 14 that is mounted wit-hin 'the pilot house.

'Carried VYbythe dock or carriage is an electric motor 15 having the drive shaft thereof extending beyond the respective ends of the m'otor and mounted on the outer end of the drive shaft 16 are beveled pinions 17 meshing with similar bevel gears 18 secured on the upper ends of the vertical shafts 19 that are journaled -i'n suitable bearings. A pinion 2O is carried by the lower end of each vertically *driven* shaft 19 and the adjacent tracks are formed with vertical 'teeth 21 constituting a rack structure for cooperation with the Y inions 20 whereby t-he dock or carriage may e vmoved along the track into and out of the hangar.

Forming a salient part of the present invention is what I term a. directional beam unit 'denoted generally bythe numeral 22, the Asaine being 'carried by the pilot house 10 for rotation therewith. This directional beam unit includes four side frames 23 arranged to form a diamond shaped structure, the forward and rear ends of this diamond shaped unit having anchoring members 24 associated therewith whereby the anchoring cables that are suspended from the airship may be secured to the unit.

Attention is now directed to Figure 4 of the drawings, wherein there is specifically disclosed the construction of one of the side frames and it will be 'observed that each side frame includes top and bottom beams having vertically and diagonally disposed brac-es interposed therebetween.

A longitudinal shaft 25 is journaled for rotation in each side frame 23, the inner ends of the shaft 25 being driven by electric motors 26 Ithrough 'medium of suitable gearings 27. Y

A series of windlasses 28 are secured on each shaft for rotation therewith and adapted to be attached to these windlasses are the cables 29 that are dropped from the dirigible prin; to the landing of the dirigible on the For the purpose of preventing the vertical displacement of the directional beam unit 22 from the dock or carriage, there is provided the depending flanged ring 30 that is secured on the bottom of the directional beam unit7 the laterally extending flange of the ring having cooperation with the peripheral edge portion of the platform 9 and suitablel roller bearings are associated with the peripheral edge portion of the carriage for cooperation with the flanged ring 30 as suggested in Figure 3.

Current is supplied to the several pullers from the conductor rail 3 through the medium of the unit shown at 31 in Figure 3.

The directional beam unit is adapted to be positioned, depending upon the direction of the wind by actuating the motor 14 and any suitable breaking means may be employed to hold the directional unit in its properly adjusted position.

In landing 'the dirigible on the dock, anchoring lines are dropped from the airship and are connected to the anchoring units 24 at the forward and re-ar ends of the beam unit 22. The ground crew then grasp the descending lines and are secured to the respective windlasses 29 after which the shafts 28 are rotated so that the descending cables are wound upon the respect-ive windlasses, thereupon the ship will assume the position shown in full lines in Figure 1 and in this manner, the ship will be anchored on the dock and the passengers of the airship can leave without further delay. The directional beam is then actuated to position the same in line with the tracks and the hangar after which the carriage is caused to travel along the tracks and enter the hangar.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing descriptiomthat I have provided a dirigible air dock that will permit the landing and anchoring of an airship on a dock without requiring the use of a large number of men and furthermore, the work of landing and anchoring the airshipy on the dock will be carried out in anY expeditious and etlicient manner. It is ofcourse to be understood that suitable controllers are arranged in the pilot house whereby the operator can control the operation of the several electricvmotors at Vwill and suitable electric magnetic brakes may be employed as well as slip contactors for every change of transit rotating descending and ascending and reversible movements.

A dirigible air dock of the above mentioned character will at all times be positive and efficient in its operation and will further- EGG more, permit an airship to be moored thereon in a safe manner.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood, that minor changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

l. A structure of the class described comprising in combination, tracks, a carriage movable along said tracks, means for causing the movement of the carriage on the tracks, additional means for preventing vertical and lateral displacement of the carriage with respect to the tracks, a central rotatable pilot house mounted on the carriage, a horizontally disposed unit carried by the pilot house and arranged above the carriage, and means mounted on the horizontal unit for anchoring an airship thereto.

2. A structure of the class described comprising in combination, tracks, a carriage movable along said tracks, a rotatable pilot house extending upwardly from the carriage, a horizontally disposed unit connected to the pilot house for rotation therewith above the carriage, and means arranged on the unit for anchoring an a-irship thereto.

3. A structure of the class described comprising in combination, tracks, a carriage movable along said tracks, a rotatable pilot house extending upwardly from the carriage, a horizontally disposed unit connected to the pilot house for rotation therewith above the carriage, and means arranged on the unit for anchoring an airship thereto, said last mentioned means including a horizontally disposed rotatable shaft, and a series of windlasses secured on the shaft for rotation therewith and to which the descending cables of the airship are adapted to be attached.

4. A structure of the class described comprising in combination, tracks, a carriage movable along said tracks, a platform carried by said carriage, a rotatable pilot house, extending upwardly from the carriage through said platform, a ring gear carried by the carriage and encircling said pilot house, a rotatable pinion carried by the pilot house for engagement with said ring gear to cause the rotation of the pilot house with respect to the carriage and said platform, a horizontally disposed unit carried by the pilot house for rotation therewith and disposed above said platform, means on said horizontal unit for anchoring an airship thereto, and coacting means between the platform and the horizontal unit to prevent vertical displacement of said unit.

5. A structure of the class described, comprising in combination, tracks, a carriage movable along said tracks, a platform car- I ried by said carriage, a rotatable pilot house,

extending upwardly from the carriage through said platform, a ring gear carried by the carriage and encircling said pilot house, a rotatable pinion carried by the pilot house for engagement with said ring gearl to In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature. Y

AUGUST S. PRANKE. 

